The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-07-15

friends, and Sea Cliff soon began to
whisper that it would result in a match.
For once. Sea Cliff was right. A few
weeks later he asked her to marry him.
And it all came about in the usual way;
he simply fell in love with her. as peo-
pie are falling in love every day Of
their lives. 1t came upon Mr.. Brand
rather suddenly, though. and shocked
and startled him not . little. For he
could not reconcile the innovation Of
his heart to his creed. that famous
creed which he and had discussed so
freely before Miss Penhryn's advent
She neither represented his ideal. nor
reached the standard Of his own ere
ated laws, and he was aware that
knew it To accept her. was to own
his newly remodeled marriage system
a failure. Reason it out as he would,
she must have fallen short of the para
gon with whose virtues he had made
me acquainted. She was not particu-
larly adapted to him in any way that
could see; certainly her mind was not
her strong point. 1t was very child
ish mind at best; one that reveled in
beaux, flirtatiOns, chocolates and new
bonnets. But it was bright and
healthy. and under judicious train
ing might develop. So Mr.. Brand ar
gued Gas l afterwards learned from no
less person than himself) She GER
tainly had many charms of which to
boast; could imagine his exultat:on
when he dwelt upon how charming she
really was. but, and here he must have
groancd, how perfectly conscious she
was of those self-same charms, a CO.
quette to the manner born! Time,
however, was to mend this. too. As
for talents, she had absolutely none
that he knew of. But talents were
not essential to happiness; how often
do women of genius promote domestic
felicity? On the whole, he decided
that lack of accomplishments should
not be set down against her. But, alas!
her methods of household government,
that were to be without parallel in
systematic regulation! This rejection
fell like a thunderbolt upon him. What
could that childish thing be expected
to know about domestic economy? An
uncomfortable conviction of sort of
careless untidiness, in connection with
her, took possession of him; not that
he had any ground for complaint upon
that score. beyond mere suspicion of
the fact; but. try as he would, he could
not reason away flis apprehension upon
that vital point. So he came to full
stop. There was no use pursuing the
theme further. To marry her was to
go against his own fixed principles. and
this precluded marital happiness for
him.
Like the wise man which he had al
ways given himself credit for being,
he resolved to renouncs the Inflated
passion, and. oddly enough. he en-
deayored to seek favor in my eyes by
telling me so. But knew the disease
too well to make any mistake concern
ing it, and 1 predicted from the mo-
ment he gave her up he would begin
to love her more fiercely than ever.
Matters stood thus when she fell i'll,
and then all his resolutions and mar
riage laws went flying to the Winds
His anxiety excluded every thing but
the sickening dread that she might
die. For a time her life certainly did
hang upon a thread.
One lovely morning during her con-
valescence he took her for ride. 1t
was the first time she had been permit
ted to leave her room, and it was with
many instructions for her care and
safety that he was finally permitted to
drive her away.
"Where shall we go? he inquired of
the white figure mutlled to the chin in
shawls.
ITO the country" she replied.
"where there are woods and farms.
and where we can get some milk and
wild flowers"
Il am not going to permit you
to wear yourself out by tramp
ing through the woods. my young
lady SO make up your mind to it," he
returned, firmly. II don't object to
the farm and the milk. but veto the
flowers"
So resolved, he drove ont of the little
town, selecting the smoothest roads.
and neglccting not the slightest oppor-
tunity to administer to her comfort.
(And now comes the question how l
know all this. sitting upon the piazza
of the Ocean Beach Hotel. straining my
ears to hear what Mrs. Brunoughs is
saying about her maids lover almost
soaring her to death the night before.
The answer is simple. had it direct
from Miss Penhyrn's delightfully."- To-
quacious old grandma.)
That's a pretty snug farm in yon-
der. don't you Think" he asked, after
long pause.
Il came especially to get wild
flowers" pouted the invalid, "and if
l can't get what want l would rather
90 home" Whereupon the inexora-
bic Mr.. Brand turned directly into the
woods. and assisting her to alight set
off by her side in quest Of the flowers
she coveted. But her strength didn't
equal her perversity. She had taken only
few PAGES when she staggered and
would have fallen, had not her watch
full companion caught her in his arms.
at was my slipper" she gasped,
when she could get her breath; cit
tripped me. See!' she held out tiny.
shoeless foot. Mr.. Brand stopped and
Mol cd nm tho simmer and in tho net of